Prostacyclin synthesis stimulating plasma factor in coronary heart disease

Evidence has been presented that the prostacyclin synthesis stimulating plasma factor might be altered under various clinical conditions and thereby influence in a positive or negative way the hemostatic balance. Therefore, we studied angiographically verified coronary heart disease patients with a combination of various risk factors. Different test systems like cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells, rat aorta, human coronary artery, minipig abdominal aorta and aorta of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat have been used. With an increasing number of risk factors being present, the plasma factor activity shows a trend towards a decrease, however, in none of the groups was the difference statistically significant. It is thus concluded that changes in plasma factor activity are too small to be of clinical importance by influencing hemostatic regulation in humans.